1. Technical Field
This invention relates to food cooking systems and, more particularly, to an indoor barbecue system.
2. Prior Art
Outdoor barbecuing is a popular method of cooking and preparing various foods such as meats, poultry, fish and vegetables. This popularity is largely due to the unique flavor imparted to the food by the barbecuing process, which is often referred to as “barbecue”, “smoke” or “charcoal” flavor, and also due to the fact that barbecuing is a relatively simple way of preparing such food.
Outdoor barbecuing is normally dependent on the weather and usually limited to the warmer months of the year. In addition, most people living in condominiums or apartments are prohibited from barbecuing on their balconies. Conventional barbecues are not intended for indoor use due to the heavy smoke and gaseous combustion by-products that are given off.
Many indoor barbecues have been developed in an attempt to provide the smell, taste and look of barbecue food without substantial production of heavy smoke and gaseous combustion by-products. For example, electric indoor barbecues provide one method of safely barbecuing indoors. Many of these designs include electric hotplates with grill-like surfaces for conveying a grill-like look to the food. Most electric indoor barbecues do not impart the traditional outdoor barbecue flavor to food.
Most indoor barbecues substitute lava rock or other suitable heat retentive material for charcoal briquettes or combustible material. The lava rock, heated from below either by an electric or a gas burner, cooks the food in much the same manner as burning charcoal briquettes, but without the production of noxious fumes and ash residue. These barbecues, however, fail to impart the traditional barbecue flavor to food.
Much of the heavy smoke and gaseous combustion by-products produced during barbecuing is the result of fat dripping from the food onto the hot briquettes. Since the amount of fat drippings differs among various foods, the amount of smoke emanating from the heating elements is often difficult to control and can quickly spoil the charm of indoor barbecuing. To address this particular disadvantage, filtration elements have been incorporated into smoke exhaust systems mounted atop a barbecue hood. These types of barbecues are somewhat complicated and may not be suitable for ordinary indoor use.
Accordingly, a need remains for an indoor barbecue that imparts a barbecue flavor to food and, at the same time, obviates or mitigates at least some of the shortcomings of the prior art. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an indoor barbecue system that allows a user to enjoy the smoke-flavored taste of an outdoor barbecue from inside their home. Such a barbecue system allows tenants of apartments, condos, and townhouses to cook indoors without worrying about smoke or gas build up. It also allows homeowners to barbecue in the winter months, when it may be to cold to do so outside, thus enabling such users to enjoy the benefits of smoke flavored food year round.